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Diplomats are often considered to be masters of informality. Scholars and practitioners alike have long suggested that the real work of diplomacy happens in the corridor, during the coffee break and cocktail parties. But while everyone agrees that informality is a key ingredient of diplomatic work, few have explicitly explored it, and we lack a conceptualisation of how informality becomes meaningful. In this chapter, we unpack the question: through which spaces and practices is informality performed in diplomacy? Based on thick descriptions generated through ethnographic research in and around the institutions of the European Union (EU), we make two key contributions. First, we map local understandings of the term and give a grounded account of how diplomats use informality and interpret its functions. Second, we take these ‘tales from the field’ (van Maanen, 2011[1988]) and consider them in the light of theoretical debates on informality, particularly through the concept of boundary. Where and how is the boundary between the formal and informal constituted? Who has the power to draw and move these boundaries? How does it matter, politically, if something is ‘formal’ or ‘informal’? Based on our analysis, we find that informality comes in many forms and can be both politically productive and disruptive. In diplomacy, handling informality is a key diplomatic skill that is learned over time to be, eventually, mastered.

This article explores the ranging notions of a public library for all and the related conflicts on for all and the principle of neutrality in Norway and Denmark.

A document study of four profession magazines in a ten-year period is conducted, focusing on the problematizations of for all using the WPR approach: What’s the Problem Represented to be? Theories on public sphere and democracy frequently applied in Library and Information Science (LIS) are discussed in relation to the ranging notions.

The analysis shows that although for all is used as an argument by both advocates and opponents of the principle of neutrality, there are different notions of who constitutes for all. In total, five ranging notions of for all are identified and presented in a typology, to serve as a framework to understand the conflicts concerning neutrality and the public library for all.

The typology offers a new conceptual framework for understanding the nature of the conflicts and why they appear. The analysis indicates a need to discuss the use of for all in order to engage in more nuanced discussions of the democratic role of the public library.

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the supply and demand of marketing and communication consulting services and evaluate actual and perceived gaps.

The paper uses two different datasets to assess the gap. The supply database comes from desk research carried out in the province of Bergamo (n. 159 consulting agencies). The demand dates are the results of 100 structured interviews with local companies that requested marketing and communication consulting services both inside and outside the province.

Findings show that there is no significant shortage in local service supply. Nonetheless, a limited gap exists between the provision of specific services and their overall quality. Conversely, the perceived gap is wider, leading to an impression of scarce availability – a notion disproven by the analysis of the actual supply.

The study suggests that local agencies may overcome their “myopic” attitude and need to increase their visibility, competencies and expertise by investing in these areas and improving networking.

There are no previous studies that compare the supply and demand for marketing and communication consulting services. The paper also provides insights into actual and perceived gaps in a hypercompetitive environment.

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this study aims to explore how individuals’ perceptions of telework effects associate with their adaptive performance by shaping their negative emotional experiences, with perceived leadership effectiveness acting as a critical moderator in this relationship.

A cross-sectional design was used, with data collected from a final sample of 209 teleworkers via an online survey.

The results demonstrated a significant indirect effect of the perceived effects of teleworking on adaptive performance through negative affect. Furthermore, leadership effectiveness moderated the indirect effect, in a way that the indirect effect was only significant for those who had ineffective leaders and moderate effective leaders; therefore, the indirect effect was strengthened for those who had less effective leaders (versus effective leaders).

This study examines the positive link between teleworking perceptions and adaptive performance through the reduction of negative affect, in line with the conservation of resources theory. Moreover, a reduction in negative emotions among employees during telework is associated with enhanced performance. Notably, the study reveals that leadership effectiveness moderates this connection as playing a crucial role in moderating these effects, particularly when leaders are perceived as less effective, offering insights for organizations considering telework strategies.